Israel attacks Syrian air bases, destroying dozens of aircraft, say Syrian sources
Amman: Israeli planes bombed at least three major Syrian army air bases that housed dozens of helicopters and jets in the biggest such wave of strikes on air bases since Bashar al-Assad was toppled, two Syrian security sources said.
Qamishli airbase in north-east Syria, Shinshar base in the countryside of Homs and Aqrba airport south-west of the capital Damascus were all hit, the sources said.
Smoke rises in the aftermath of suspected IDF strikes near a Damascus air base on Sunday.Credit: Getty Images
Israel also waged several strikes on a research centre on the outskirts of Damascus and a centre for electronic warfare near the Sayeda Zainab area of the capital.
The United Nations says Israeli forces are occupying a demilitarised buffer zone between Israel and Syria in violation of a 1974 ceasefire agreement following the war in 1973.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Monday that UN peacekeepers confirmed “Israeli Defence Forces have entered the area of separation and have been moving within that area where they remain in at least three locations”.
Israeli political and military leaders have stressed that the seizure of the buffer zone is temporary and not a prelude to entering other parts of Syrian territory.
“The plan at the moment is that this is a temporary step to make sure stability is kept in the border, making sure the buffer zone is kept, and the UN forces can stay,” said a military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines.
The official noted that in 2014, UN peacekeepers fled the buffer zone after al-Qaeda-linked Syrian rebels attacked their encampments. After armed men attacked UN forces over the weekend, Israel wanted to ensure the situation did not repeat itself, the official said.
Israel isn’t currently trying to change the border or prepare for an invasion into Syria, said Carmit Valensi, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think-tank.
“Right now, it’s a tactical operation, not a long-term strategy, in response to the dynamic situation in Syria,” she said. With the collapse of the Syrian army, Israel wants to protect its borders until the situation stabilises, she said.
Saudi Arabia believes Israel’s seizure of a buffer zone in Syria shows its will to “ruin Syria’s chance of restoring its security”, the kingdom’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.
A US indictment unsealed on Tuesday (AEDT) charged two high-ranking Syrian officials under ousted President Bashar al-Assad with war crimes, the US Justice Department said in a statement.
The indictment, which was unsealed in the Northern District of Illinois, charged the former Syrian intelligence officials with engaging in a conspiracy to commit cruel and inhuman treatment of civilian detainees, including US citizens, during the Syrian civil war.
The UN Security Council planned to hold an emergency closed meeting on Syria at the request of Russia, which on Monday said it granted asylum to its longtime ally. Russian President Vladimir Putin personally decided to offer asylum to Assad, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Peskov wouldn’t comment on Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Putin wasn’t planning to meet with him.
Hundreds of Syrian refugees gathered at two border crossings in southern Turkey, eagerly anticipating their return home following the fall of Assad’s government.
Many arrived at the Cilvegozu and Oncupinar border gates at daybreak, draped in blankets and coats. Some camped by the barriers of the border crossing, warming themselves with makeshift fires or resting on the cold ground. The crossings correspond to the Bab al-Hawa and Bab al-Salameh gates on the Syrian side of the border.
Hundreds of displaced Syrians are also returning from Lebanon, with dozens of cars lining up to enter. Turkish officials have not said how many Syrians have returned since Assad’s downfall. The country hosts 3 million refugees.
In Europe, several countries put asylum applications from Syrians on hold until further notice. The decision, which affects tens of thousands of open claims, reflects the rapidly changing political situation in Syria as well as a resurgence of right-wing parties across Europe keen to restrict immigration.
Germany opened its doors wide to a surge of asylum seekers in 2015 at the height of Syria’s civil war, and is now home to nearly a million Syrians, the largest community in Europe.
The Berlin Interior Ministry said it would not process asylum requests until there was more clarity on political developments in Syria. Britain paused decisions on asylum claims as well, with the Interior Ministry saying it was assessing the situation.
Norway, Italy, Austria and the Netherlands also announced suspensions of Syrian requests. France said it hoped to announce a similar decision shortly.
Reuters, AP
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